"Help someone else first, St. Anthony"
"Help someone else first, before me, because it is only a thing
and I can handle this loss," writes Kathleen.
Yet St. Anthony blesses her by finding the ‘thing’ she cherishes:
her special charm bracelet.
It has been a bad few years. I lost by brother (10 yrs ago), my step sister (less than 3 yrs ago), my sister (1 1/2 yrs ago), then my step dad (5 months ago). This does not include the loss of cousins, aunts and uncles and friends. Although the specific death dates escape me now, the loss has the same affect regardless. The causes of death ranged from medical, car accident, aids and suicides. My siblings were between the ages of 44 and 50 when they died. Material things, although I enjoy them, have far less meaning to me now since the loss of my sister a year and a half ago. In fact, life is the only thing that really matters to me at all now.
About a month ago I noticed that my charm bracelet was missing. I felt that it was somewhere in my house and I would find it when I had time to look for it. When I got around to searching, it was no where to be found. Generally I am quite careful with jewelry and I have almost everything that anyone has ever given me. The bracelet was not in any of "the usual" spots I would have put it. I pulled apart the house. I vacuumed and checked the vacuum bag--nothing. I dusted and cleaned and checked every quirky spot where I may have set it down---nothing. I was surprised by my reaction to not finding it. In the past, the loss of this favorite piece of jewelry would have really upset me.
I did miss my bracelet very much as there were charms on it from my sisters, mother, husband and children, and even one charm from my sister who passed. This charm was of a shoe from Holland. It was given to me to remind me of my brother who passed while he was in Holland. It's a special bracelet. I prayed to St. Anthony that I would find it but I prefaced the prayer with "help someone else first, before me, because it is only a thing and I can handle this loss." I was surprised with myself and my reaction to the loss.
At least two weeks more had passed and the bracelet was still missing. One night, I was praying in the shower. I said to St. Anthony, "I am really ok with this loss. It is fine. No big deal. It is just a thing."
Then I got out of the shower, dried off and opened the cabinet beneath the sink to get something. Wow--I knew right away, it was my bracelet. I saw a shiny illuminated thing in the far corner in a cardboard box! How it got there, I have no idea. I believe my bracelet was lost and Saint Anthony either placed it there for me to find or lead me to it. I certainly never intentionally placed it there and the latch on the bracelet is such that it is extremely difficult to open. I don't believe if fell off. It was all so strange, yet not.
St. Anthony answered my prayer even though I was not desperate to find it and asked him to help others first. Our lives are blessed.
Best, Kathleen
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Posted in: Prayer, Saint Anthony
